Reader at the School of History, Dr Philip Boobbyer, has recently published his new book, The Life and World of Francis Rodd, Lord Rennell (1895-1978): Geography, Money and War (Anthem Press, 2021). Dr Boobbyer has long known that Francis Rodd, Lord Rennell was a possible subject for research, but it’s only been in recent years that Philip explored his late grandfather’s life in greater detail. The book follows an article Dr Boobbyer published in the journal War in History.

Having already written two books of a biographical nature, S. L. Frank: The Life and Work of a Russian Philosopher 1877-1950 (1995) and The Spiritual Vision of Frank Buchman (2013), this third book was enhanced by papers at the Bodleian Library and the Royal Graphic Society, and Dr Boobbyer’s access to family letters of a more personal nature.

Francis Rodd, Lord Rennell led an incredibly interesting life; he ran the first military government in Allied-occupied Europe in World War II, made a robust stand against the Mafia in Sicily, he was well-known as a geographer for his journeys to south-central Sahara in the 1920s and President of the Royal Geographical Society (1945-48), friend of Lawrence of Arabia and was an early influence on the Long Range Desert Group, which was active in guerrilla operations in North Africa during the Second World War.

Here’s the Telegraph’s review of Dr Philip Boobbyer, book, The Life and World of Francis Rodd, Lord Rennell (1895-1978): Geography, Money and War .